Iowa has money for water quality practices

Iowa has about $1.4 million in cost-share funds available to help farmers limit nutrient loss and protect water quality on their farms.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received $4.4 million for the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in fiscal 2015. The funds will allow the agency to encourage the broad adoption of water quality practices through statewide cost- share assistance as well as more intensive work in targeted watersheds.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said the practices eligible for the funding include cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer.

'We continue to hear from farmers interested in doing even more to limit nutrient loss and better protect water quality, and these funds will help them try new voluntary science-based conservation practices on their farm,” Northey said.

The cost-share rate for farmers planting cover crops is $25 per acre. For farmers trying no-till or strip till, the cost-share is $10 per acre.

Farmers using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer can receive $3 per acre.

Any farmer not already utilizing the practices can apply for the assistance. Farmers are eligible for cost-share on up to 160 acres.

While the funds will be made available next Thursday, Northey said farmers can start submitting applications through their local Soil and Water Conservation District office.

'By allowing farmers to try new practices on a limited number of acres at a reduced cost we want to showcase the benefits of these practices and encourage farmers to incorporate them into their operation,” Northey said.

Last year, more than 1,000 farmers signed up for cost-share funding to help implement new nutrient reduction practices on 100,000 acres. The state provided $2.8 million in cost-share funding to help farmers try a water quality practice for the first time, and Iowa farmers provided another $2.8 million to support the water quality practices.

l Comments: (319) 398-8366; george.ford@sourcemedia.net